Manchester City discover FA Cup third round opponents following completed draw

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have now discovered their opponents for the third round of the latest FA Cup campaign starting in early 2026.

English football’s most prestigious cup competition presents Manchester City with a fourth simultaneous competition to compete in, should they remain in the League Cup into the start of the new year.

Pep Guardiola and his players remain in hot pursuit of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, whilst aiming for a place in the last-16 of the UEFA Champions League as they look to make amends for their disappointing 2024/25 campaign.

In the Carabao Cup, City take on Brentford in the quarter-final of the competition later this month, and should they progress beyond the Bees at the Etihad Stadium, they would compete in both the FA Cup and League Cup within just a matter of days in January.

Among the notable possible opponents in the FA Cup third round draw on Monday evening were the likes of Weston Super Mare, Boreham Wood, Salford City, Macclesfield FC, and Grimsby Town.

And as Manchester City look to make it all the way to the FA Cup final once again under Pep Guardiola, it has now been confirmed that the Catalan coach and his players will take on League One side Exeter City in the third round of the competition at the Etihad Stadium.

Completed FA Cup third round draw

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Shrewsbury Town

Doncaster Rovers vs Southampton

Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa

Port Vale vs Fleetwood Town

Preston North End vs Wigan Athletic

Ipswich Town vs Blackpool

Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest

Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea

Manchester City vs Exeter City

West Ham United vs Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford

Fulham vs Middlesbrough

Everton vs Sunderland

Liverpool vs Barnsley

Burnley vs Millwall

Norwich City vs Walsall

Portsmouth vs Arsenal

Derby County vs Leeds United

Swansea City vs West Bromwich Albion

Salford City vs Swindon Town

Boreham Wood vs Brackley Town or Burton Albion

Grimsby Town vs Weston-Super-Mare

Hull City vs Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle United vs AFC Bournemouth

MK Dons vs Oxford United

Cheltenham Town vs Leicester City

Cambridge United vs Birmingham City

Bristol City vs Watford

Stoke City vs Coventry City

Macclesfield FC vs Crystal Palace

Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Sheffield United vs Mansfield Town

The FA Cup third round will be played around the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026.

For Manchester City, that will mean that their cup tie against Exeter City will follow a midweek Premier League clash at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, 7 January with kick-off at 2026.

Following the FA Cup meeting, City could then take on a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg during midweek should they progress beyond Brentford at home in the quarter-final, or the following weekend’s meeting with Manchester United in the Premier League at Old Trafford.